Yesterday I had a day of retreat. I was able to go to the Jesuit Center for their morning Eucharist service, stay for lunch, meet with a spiritual director, read, rest, and walk. On my walk I visited an aging relief of Mary holding baby Jesus.

The weather was warm, in the 70's. There was little wind -- nearly a summer's day. I attended the monthly meeting on dreams. Then I drove home.

This morning I felt refreshed by my brief outing.

I read Psalm 85. In it the author asks God to restore the Hebrew people, as God has done before. Then he listens for God's response and knowing God's character believes that God will speak peace to those whose turn their hearts to him.

As he petitions God, the author begins to see some of the characteristics of this coming reign of peace.

“Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other. Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky. The Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase . . .”

I found myself desiring seven generations of peace. What would the earth be like if we could live together in peace for hundreds of years – where love, faithfulness, righteousness, goodness, and abundance were normal, expected, the foundation of our work and play? Would it be so bad? Is it possible to turn ourselves around?

We have read about big banks, and oil, gas, and nuclear power corporations taking unconscionable risks with other's resources. We have experienced the disasters that came from those unchecked behaviors, group think, ungrounded euphoria. What if we laid down some basic demands. 1.) that we all survive 2.) that we give one another a chance to experience goodwill, unadulterated goodwill 3.) that those with more power protect those with less power?

The image of baby Jesus in his Mother's arms is an easy symbol of peace for me. We know Mary's character from the gospel stories. Can we let her love for her child inspire us to love those within our reach? If your reach is long, can you love steadfastly? Does our behavior increase love to the coming generations? What can we do to become more loving?